Souvenirs with style

The obvious souvenirs to look for in the Czech Republic are crystal, ceramics, marionettes and bottles of alcohol (Becherovka in Bohemia, Slivovice in Moravia and Absinthe for those who haven’t realized yet they can buy it in their own countries). For something more unusual and individual, why not cast your eye over a couple of second hand stores and see if anything takes your fancy?

Second hand stores in the Czech Republic can stock a broad range of goods or be quite specialized, and are all over the place, although the high rents in Prague's centre have almost succeeded in driving them out of that part of town.
If you’re interested in books, postcards, old maps and sheet music, look for signs saying ‘Antikvariat’. In Prague's seventh suburb, Holešovice, the cafe/bookstore Okey Dokey is a good source of foreign language reading material, in Kutná Hora, there’s an excellent antikvariat on one of the streets leading from St James' church (the tall church) up towards the main square, and in Olomouc there’s a good one across the street from the fine arts department of the university.
If you’re interested in second hand clothes, look for ‘Sekač’, or ‘Second Hand’ stores. These can be in small shopfronts or in large halls, like upstairs at the main train station in Prague or at the Holešovice outdoor markets.
For other odds and ends, look for ‘Bazar’, ‘Antik’ or ‘Starožitnosti’. Some Bazars are highly specialized; they might sell only mobile phones for example. Others will have a wide range including old paintings, hand tools, gumboots, bicycles, musical instruments, beer mugs and porcelain tea sets. A Bazar is usually the first stop for people needing to sell something for quick cash and the staff should always ask to see identification to ensure they don’t come into possession of stolen goods.

An ‘Antik’ or ‘Starožitnosti’ store usually deals in goods of a higher standard and a collectible nature. You’re not likely to find power drills or mobile phones for example. Prices in general tend to be higher than in a bazar, but you can still turn up an occasional bargain. Old military paraphernalia, enamel signs, folk art and embroidery, and vintage cameras are some of the things that might be decent value and not too heavy for travellers to ship home.

Serious collectors need to be up with the sparrows for the Bleší Trhy (flea markets) in Olomouc and Ostrava. Rare, unique and collectible postage stamps, coins, medals, documents and antiques are the main offerings at these events. The vendors are often professional antique dealers and while you might find some amazing old items, you probably won’t be getting any bargain basement discounts.

Of course there’s nothing wrong with crystal, ceramics and the other stuff. Czech handcrafts enjoy their wide renown for good reason. Artworks, photography and Kraslice (the traditional painted Easter eggs) are more good souvenirs that you’ll find in the stores and streetside stalls.

For a unique souvenir or gift though, especially if you’re on a second or third visit to the country, you can’t go past the second hand stores.

If you’ve been to the Czech Republic, do you have a favourite souvenir or bargain that you picked up while you were here?